Aeroplane flight brake



Aug. 5, 1930.

E. J. DOEHLER 1,772,388

AEROPLANE FLIGHT BRAKE Filed May 18, 1929 lnvenfor Attorney gag. 5, "3930. E. J. DOEHLER ,7

AEROPLANE FLIGHT BRAKE Filed May 18, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Attorney Aug. 5, 1.930. E. J. DOEHLER AEROPLANE FLIGHT BRAKE z Sheets-Sheet 5 iled May 18, 1929 Inventor Z2 7" oa/e'r Patented Aug. 5, 1930 'mtrr. .1. DOEHLEB, oriwrrano, unwvorax P reNror FICE AEROPLANE FLIGHT BRAKE Application filed May 18,

This invention. relates to aeroplane flight brakes and an object of the invention is to provide for increasing the resistance at the rear end of an aeroplane for the purpose of enabling the pilot to bring the plane out of a tail spin in the minimum of drop, while at the same time to cause the aeroplane to come to rest on the ground in the minimum of space.

Another object of the invention is to provide for controlling the operation of the wind brake within convenient grasp of'the pilot.

Further objects of the invention are to provide in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of the character referredto, which is strong, compact, and durable, thoroughly re-. liable in its operation, highly eflicient for its intended purpose, very simple in its method of assembly, and comparativelyinexpensive to manufacture and install upon a standard aeroplane of the heavier than air type. With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel constructiomcombination and arrangement of.

described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinis disclosedan embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications, may be made without departing from the spirit of the claims hereunto appended. In the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several' views:

Figure '1' is a fragmentary, diagrammatic, top plan of the rear portion of an aeroplane fuselage, illustrating the means of controlling the flight brake in accordance with this-invention. a Figure 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic side elevation of the rear portion of an aeroplane fuselage, illustrating the means of controlling the rudder flight brake in accordance with this invention, the view being in side elevation. i i Figure 3 is a fra entary side elevation of the rear portion'o ii n aeroplane fusela e ilflight brake in accordance with this invention. 1

parts as will be hereinafter more specifically the same preventsskiddin 192s. Ser1a1'1i'o.864,043.j

Figure 4 is a'detailed vertical sectional view through one of the elevators-: in accordance with this invention.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the rear portion of the fuselage, illustrating -an i iadaptation therewith'of the device in accordance wlth this invention.

" F igu re 6 is a fragmentary portion of the elevator or rudder illustrating in enlarged detail the cross head in accordance with this invention, and.

. Figure 7 is asectional view, taken shbstantially on the line 7-7 of Figure 6. a,

.An aeroplane moves forward through the Lair by reason of the dynamic force'gof the air acting upon the wings to sustain theship in flight and as long as it movesthroughthe air above a certain speed. This latterspeed V called flying speed. Should the aeroplane be made to climb too steeply it would stall, thereby losing its' forward motion or flying speed, unless it could immediately be maneuvered into a dive to retain its flying speed, it would begin .to spin toward the ground out of control of the pilot. The ship would not respond to the controls because they are cutting. the air sidewise and are not receiving the full force of the moving air as the would in forward flight. This invention asa tendency to sto the Spin and to enable the ship to pick up ying speed by gravity- I The device is laced upon the rearmost parts of'the aerop anefor creating resistance at the tail of the aeroplane. The momentum pf the heavy engine in the nose of the aeroplane would movethe ship in a forward direction when landing upon the ground and when the flight brake-is applied atthis time, 7 of the fuselage from side to side while att e same time will bring the-ship to. rest in the minimum of s ace. When the brake in accordance with resistance would be created at the tall, stopping the spin the weight of the heavy engine 7 r in the. noseoi the ship would draw the ship lustrating an adaptation therewith o the.

toward the earth, nose first, as in a straight dive, whereupon the brake would-be released,

of the fuselage and gravity. As soon as the ship has flying s eed it would be brought out of the dive, or i the engine has stalled, it could be glided to earth under control.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 10=indicates an aeroplane fuselage, which, is equipped with the conventional propeller at the nose driven by any type of motor and having the conventional side planes for sustaining the weight of the ship in the air. The latter features are not shown in the drawings. The numeral 10 indicates a portion of the fuselage devoted to the cock pit wherein the pilot sits. At the rear end of the fuselage there is formed a Vertically extending fin 12. At right angles to the fin 12, a pair of stabilizers 13, 14 are rigidly secured to the sides project in horizontal planes therefrom. A pair of rockable elevators 15, 16, are secured to the trailing edges of the fixed stabilizers 13, 14, and one of the pivots is indicated at 17, in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. The rockable elevators 15, 16, are disposed on the opposite side of the fuselage in a horizontal plane and are spaced from the vertical fin 12, as at 17 and 18 to permit the air to have an effect on the rud der and the rudder brake disposed to the rear thereof. The rudder 19 is rockably mounted on the pivot 20 on the trailing edge of the fin 12 and vertical plane at right angles to the axis of the rockable elevators 15,16. 3,,

The rockable elevators and theIrudder'liare provided with the conventional oppositely projecting horns 21, having control cables 22 extending into the cockpit whereby dirigibility and ascent and descent is imparted to the ship, accordance with this invention.

Each of the oppositely disposed rockable elevators 15, 16 and the rudder 19, are equipped in a like manner with planes-and extensions to be resently described, which perform the bra ing action in accordance with this invention and with the exception of the control ineans, it is believed that a description of one will familiarize the artwith the construction of the others. The construction of one of the elevators has been selected as representative of the invention and is shown in enlarged detail vertical section in edge thereof by a Figure 4 of the drawings. eferring particularly thereto, an open rectangular substantially rigid plane 23 is disposed about the'elevator 15 and is rigidly supported thereon to the rear of the leading plurality of strut rods 24. The width of the plane 23 from itstrailing to its leading edge is less than the widthof the elevator 15 and the trailing edge of the plane 23 is forwardly of the trailing edge of 'the elevator.

A pair of extensions or win s 25, 26, are rocka ly mounted on pivots 2 28, on the the rockable axis is in a independent of the braking effect in oppositefaces of the elevator 15 and axis is in a horizontal plane the same as the axis of the elevator to which they are secured. The area and contour of the extension or wings is substantially the same as the elevator to which it is attached.

The extensions are located between the sides of the plane 23 and the elevator 15 and are rockable therebetween. Intermediate the ends .of the elevator 15 it is formed with the sli ing movement will pull or extend the extensions as desired. A pair of lugs 38 are secured to the stabilizer in the slot to limit the forward movement of the cross head 31 and hold the extensions25, 26, in extended position shown in Figure 4 of the drawings.

hen the cross heads are at the other end of the slot the extensions are pulled in abutting parallelism 1th the stabilizersas is shown in Figure 5 and illustrated in connection with the rudder 19.

The control cable 39 is in the form of a continuous loop, the-ends of which are secured to'the opposite edges of one side of the cross head as at 40, 41. I

The sides of the loop are on the opposite side of the elevator 15 and are trained over a pulley 42 journaled in a slot 43 in the elevator as will'be clearly shown b referring to Fi re 4 of the drawings. The forward end 0 the loop is trained over a ulley 44 in the cockpit which is forward of t e rockable foot contr'olpedal 45 that has a s ring 46 normally urging the pedal rearwar 1y. The one side of the loop is securedto the edal and when the pilots foot is not restin t ereon, the extensions will be folded y the spring urging the pedal rearwardly.

The looped control cables 39 which are adapted to control the extensions on the elevators are operated simultaneously to bring about synchronous movement of the extensions and will clearly be understood by reference to the diagram in Figure 1, whereas the looped cableic'ontrol for the extensions on the.

cured to each of said 6 the cock pit will cause the cables to movethe cross heads located on each elevator and rudder, whereby the extensions '25 and 26 will be moved outwardly in angular relation to the rudders or elevators to which they are attached and will in this position resist the passage of the air through the plane and laterally thereof. This construction will cause a vacuum atthe tail of the machine and will have the effect to retard its forward movement in the case of landing and will have a tendency of bringing the aeroplane out of the tail spin while in the air.

What is claimed is: I I

1. In combination with an aeroplane, a fuselage, a pair of elevators rockably mounted on the opposite sides at the rear of said fuselage and having their axis in a horizontal plane, a rudder rockably mounted on the rear of the fuselage and having its axis in a vertical plane and between said elevators, an open rigid plane disposed about and seairs of elevators and the rudder, a pair 0 extensions rockably mounted on the opposite sides of the pair of elevators and the rudder between the plane and sides thereof the axis of said extensions disposed in a plane parallel to the mem bers to which it is attached, means movably mounted on the respective members for rocking said extensions, and control means located in the fuselage and connected with said first means for rocking said extensions on their axis.

2." In combination with an aeroplane, a fuselage, a pair of elevators rockably mounted on the opposite sides at the rear of said fuselage and having their axis in a horizontal plane, a rudder rockably mountedonthe.

rear of the fuselage and having its axis iii-a vertical plane and between said elevators,

an open rigid plane disposed about and secured to each of said pair of elevators and the rudder, a pair' of extensions rockably mounted on the oppositesides of the pair of" elevators and the rudder between the plane and sides thereof, the axis of said extensions disposedin a plane parallel to the members to which it is attached, means movably mounted on the respective members for rocking said extensions, and control means lo cated in the fuselage and connected with said first means for rocking said wings on their axis, said controlmeans arranged to operate the extensions on the elevators in unison and to each of said pair of operating being su independent of the control means operating the wings on the rudder.

3. Incombination with an aero lane, a fuselage, a pair of elevators rockab y mounted on the opposite sides at the rear of said fuselage and having their axis in a horizontal plane, a rudder rockably mounted on the rear of the fuselage and having its axis in a vertical plane and between said elevators, an open rigid plane disposed about and .secured toeach of said pair of elevators andthe rudder, a pair of extensions rockably mounted on the opposite sides of the pair of elevators and the rudder between the plane and sides thereof, the axis of said extensions disposed in a plane parallel tovthe members to which it is attached, means movably mounted on the respective members for rocking said extensions, and means for rocking said 'wingson their axis, said control means arranged to operate the extensions on the elevators in unison and independent of the control means operating the wings on the rudder,

said planes being substantially rectangular and disposed to the rear of the leading edges of the members to which they are secured and terminating forwardly of the trailing edges thereof.

41 In combination with an aero lane, a fuselage, a pair of elevators rockab y mounted on the opposite sides of the rear of said fuselage and having their axis ina horizontal plane, a rudder rockably mounted on the rear of the fuselage and having its axis in a vertical plane and between said elevators, an open rigid plane disposed. about and secured elevators and the rudder, a pair of extensions rockably mounted on the opposite sides of the pair of elevators and the rudder between the plane and sides thereof, the axis of said extensions disposed in 'a plane parallel to the members to which it is attached, means'movably mounted on the respective members for rocking said extensions, and means, for rocking said wings on their axis, said control means arranged to operate the extensions on the elevators in unison and independent of the control means the wings on the rudder, said plane stantially rectangular and disposed to the rear of the leading edges of the members to which they are secured and terminating forwardly of the trailing edges thereof, said first mentioned means including a cross head slidably mounted on the respective members and links pivotally connected to the opposite sides of the cross head and the inner faces of the extensions.

rigid plane disposed about and secured to each of said pair of elevators and the rudder, a pair of extensions rockably' mounted on the opposite sides of the pair of elevators and the 5, rudder between the plane and sides thereof, the axis of said extensions disposed in a plane parallel to the members to which it is attached, means movably mounted on the respective members for rocking said exten- 10 sions, and means for rocking said wings on their axis, said control means arranged to operate the extensions on the elevators in unison and independent of the control means operating the wings on the rudder, said plane 15 being substantially rectangular and disposed to the rear of the leading edges of the members to which they are secured and terminating forwardly'of the trailing edges thereof, said first mentioned means including a cross head slidably mounted on the respective members and links pivotally connected to the opposite sides of the cross head and the inner faces of the extensions, said extensions being of substantially the same area as the a respective members to which they are attached.

6. In a control means for aeroplanes, an extended body, means adapted for rockably a mounting the body, a pair of wings hingedly 30 mounted on the body on the opposite sides thereof with the axes parallel to the axis of the said body, and means for rocking said wingsand said wings hingedly mounted adjacent the leading edge of said body, a frame 5 disposed about said body for limiting the outward swinging movement of the wings.

7. In a control means for aeroplanes, an extended body, means adapted for rockably mounting the body on an aeroplane, a pair 40 of wings hingedly mounted on the opposite sides ofthe body with their axes parallel to the axis of the body, a frame disposed about said body for limiting the outward swinging movement of the wings, and means 5 for rocking said wings. I

8. In a control means for aeroplanes, an extended body, means adapted for rockably V mounting the body on an aeroplane, a pair of wings hingedly mounted on the o posite 5 sides of said bod a frame dispose about said body for limiting the outward swinging movement of the wings, and means for rocking said wings.

9. In a control means for aeroplanes, an extended body, meansadapted for rockably mounting the body on an aeroplane, a frame disposed about said body, a pair of' wings hingedly mounted on the opposite sides of the body having a portion thereof within said my frame, and means for rockin said wings.

In testimony whereof I a my si ature.

' EMIL J. DOE ER. 

